Radiator grille



March l0, Eggs. E J, HANSQN ET AL l z@ RADIATOR GR ILLE f Filed-Feb. l5,1952 @figg/,Wina al? J bbw? j 91%@ Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE RADIATOR GRILLE Michigan Application February 15, 1932,Serial No. 592,961

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a grille which is adapted to be positioned inadvance of the core of the radiator, and if they are provided, theradiator shutters of an automotive vehicle to conceal the core and/ orthe shutters and generally to improve the appearance of the front end ofthe vehicle. Our invention resides particularly in providing a radiatorgrille of pleasing appearance which is so constructed and arranged thatit will not unduly obstruct the passage of air to the core of theradiator in front of which it is installed and yet will be sufficientlystrong and rigid that it will not vibrate or rattle and will afford ameasure of protection to the radiator core and/or the radiator shutters.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of our invention,reference is made to the following specication, in which are describedthe preferred embodiments of our invention which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing:

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our grille installed on the radiator ofan automotive Vehicle.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the installationshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of elements from which thebody of our grille is formed. i

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modified form of grille.

The grille illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 consists of a body Ill and aface II. The body I is of what may be termed egg-crate separatorconstruction, i. e., it consists of two angularly disposed sets I2 andI3 of relatively thin notched metal strips which are intertted asillustrated in Figure 4 to form a multi-cellular element. The face II ofthe grille consists of a lattice-like element formed from a single sheetof relatively heavy metal by punching openings I4 therein so as toprovide two angularly disposed sets I and I6 of separating bars whosecenter-to-center spacing is equal to that of the corresponding strips I2and I3 oi the body I0 so that when the face is superposed upon the bodythe bars of the former will register with and conceal the strips of thelatter. As illustrated in the drawing, some of the bars I5 and I6 may bemade wider than others to strengthen the face and to improve theappearance of the grille.

After the body and face are formed, the grilleformer sothat the bars ofthe latter register with and conceal the strips of the former andsoldering the strips to the bars with which they register so as to forma rigid unitary structure. If desired, the structure may be reinforcedand rigidied by providing a channel-shaped border strip I'I whichembraces and is suitably joined to the edges of the face.

The hereinbefore described grille will, of course, be given the samegeneral contour as the shell of the radiator in connection with which itis to be used and may be mounted in front of the shell, or as shown inthe drawing, within the shell in front of the core and radiatorshutters. To insure proper positioning of the grille with respect to theshell during assembly and use, there is formed on the inner face of thefront flange I8 of the shell I9, a channel in which the border strip-Ilof the grille is adapted to be seated. To secure the grille to theshell, there are provided a number of screws 2 I, whose heads aresoldered to the inner face of the flange I8 and which in conjunctionwith clips 22 through which the screws extend and nuts 23 firmly andsecurely clamp the grille to the shell.

The modified form of grille which is illustrated in Figure 5 differsfrom that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 only in the construction of thebody 24 which in this form consists of a number of thin metal strips 25of zig-zag form which are as- 30 sembled as illustrated in Figure 5 andunited by solder at their points of Contact 26 to form a multi-cellularstructure.

In both of the constructions described above, the outer surface of theface of the grille is preferably given a bright, shiny nish and the body0f the grille is preferably finished in dull black. The depth of thebody of itself, makes it impossible for anyone not standingsubstantially directly in front of the vehicle on which the grille isinstalled to see the core and/0r shutters therethrough and sincereflection of light from the face of the grille and the light absorbingcharacteristcs of the black, relatively deep body render it practicallyimpossible for anyone standing directly in front of the vehicle to seethe core and/or shutters, these parts are eiiectually concealed by thegrille.

It will, of course, be understood that, while, as illustrated in thedrawing, our radiator grilles are preferably provided with flat frontfaces when designed for installation o-n radiators which are providedwith iiat front faces, radiator grilles in which our invention isembodied may, when designed for installation on radiators provided withangular or curved front faces, be provided with corresponding orappropriately shaped front faces.

We claim:

l. A radiator grille which consists of a latticelike body and alattice-like face whose elements register with and conceal the elementsof the body.

2. In a radiator screen, a grille-like face, strips which are locatedbehind and register with and are secured to longitudinal bars of theface, and strips which are located behind and register with and aresecured to transverse bars of the face.

3. The radiator screen claimed in claim 2 in Which the longitudinal andtransverse strips are notched and intert and are arranged with theirgreatest transverse dimensions at an angle to the plane of the face.

4. In a radiator screen, a grille-like face, and zigzag strips which arelocated behind and register with and are secured to longitudinal andtransverse bars of the face.

5. The radiator screen claimed in claim 4 in which the strips arearranged with their greatest transverse dimensions at an angle to theplane of the face.

6. In a radiator screen, a face which consists of bars arranged withtheir greatest transverse dimensions approximately parallel to the planeof the face, and bars arranged with their greatest transverse dimensionsat an angle to the plane of the face located behind and in registrationwith bars of the face and secured thereto.

7. In a radiator screen, a face which consists 'of approximately flatbars arranged with their greatest transverse dimensions approximatelyparallel to the plane of the face and relatively thin strips arrangedWith their greatest transverse dimensions at an angle to the plane ofthe face and located behind and in registration with the bars of theface and secured thereto.

8. The combination, with the radiator of an automotive vehicle, of ascreen which consists of two members, one of which is a light-absorbingbody and the other of which is a light-reecting body which is disposedin advance of and substantially conceals the light-absorbing body.

ELMER J. HANSON. JOHN G. HICKMAN.

